Lancashire
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Lancashire from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Lancashire's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry.
Holmes Mill, Clitheroe
Clitheroe
A textile mill built in the 1820s and extended during the 1830s with later C19 additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Church of St Nicholas
Fleetwood
Anglican church, 1960-62 to designs of Laurence King; built by Brown & Jackson Ltd. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Bleasdale Circle enclosed Bronze Age urnfield
Bleasdale
Bleasdale Circle is a rare Bronze Age urnfield in northern England, providing insight into Middle Bronze Age burial practices, beliefs, and social organization.
Woodfold Park
Mellor
Woodfold Park, established in the 1790s, features a country house and grounds influenced by architect Charles McNiven.
Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machine
Blackpool
A static amusement ride of 1904 designed by Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim, comprising a raised timber boarding platform around a central vertical drive shaft supported by a steel lattice tower,...
Former Pennine Tower Restaurant at Lancaster Service Area…
Forton
Tower and cantilevered restaurant at motorway service station. 1964-5.
Former Nelson Old Library
Nelson
Former Nelson Old Library by architects JR Poyser and WB Savidge, funded by Andrew Carnegie, opened in 1908. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Avenham Park
Preston
A public park designed by Edward Milner and laid out in 1861 incorporating an existing riverside walk which had been laid out 1847-9.
Blackpool Middle and Lower Walk colonnades including asso…
Blackpool
Colonnaded portal with stairs, of 1923, and a colonnaded public path with a cantlievered roof, of 1923-1925. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Alston Hall
Longridge
Country house by Alfred Darbyshire in a Tudor Gothic style, built 1874-6 of buff sandstone for colliery owner John Mercer. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Plastic Classroom at Kennington Primary School
Fulwood
The Plastic Classroom at Kennington Primary School was the first fully-structural plastic building in Britain.
Pigeon Tower, staircases, stone arches, stone screen and …
Rivington
A pigeon tower with associated stone staircases with flanking walls and stone arches to the west, an attached stone screen to the south, and two stone gate piers within Rivington Gardens.
Scarisbrick Hall
Scarisbrick
Scarisbrick Hall, transformed by the Pugins in the 19th century, features a landscape park potentially influenced by Repton's 1803 Red Book.
Preston Central Bus Station and Car Park
Preston
A bus station with multi-storey car park above, also incorporating a taxi rank (but excluding the pedestrian links).
Astley Hall
Astley Village
Astley Hall's gardens and parkland reflect early 17th and 18th-century designs, possibly influenced by John Webb, and have evolved into a public park dedicated as a War Memorial.
Carnforth: the coaling plant
Carnforth
Plant for mechanically refuelling the tenders of steam locomotives with coal: part of the modernised Motive Power Depot built for the London Midland Scottish Railway in 1938-44, being the...
The Black Horse
Preston
Hotel, now a public house, of 1898, by J A Seward of Preston for the Atlas Brewery Company of Manchester. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Lever Park
Horwich
Lever Park, designed by Thomas Hayton Mawson and William Hesketh Lever, was developed between 1901-1911.
Maritime Museum
Lancaster
The former Custom House stands on the south west side of St George's Quay. 1764, designed by Richard Gillow for the Port Commissioners.
Remains of the gas plant, chimney, wheel pit and mill rac…
Nether Wyresdale
The standing remains and earthworks and buried remains of the gas plant, chimney, wheel pit and mill race of Dolphinholme Worsted Mill. Read the official list entry to find out more.
The Grand National
Blackpool
A wooden 'Möbius loop' racing rollercoaster of 1935, designed by Charles Paige and Harry G Traver, with a concrete Moderne station by Jospeh Emberton completely replaced in 1990 to the...
Lancaster Canal Lune Aqueduct
Halton-with-Aughton
Aqueduct over the River Lune, Lancashire. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Wrightington Hall, including attached north service wing
Wrightington
Country house, now a hospital conference centre and offices, early C18, altered in 1860-2, with further C20 and C21 alterations.
Capernwray Hall
Arkholme-with-Cawood
Capernwray Hall features mid to late 19th-century formal gardens, a 1901 Rose Garden by Thomas Mawson, and early 19th-century parkland.
Rivington Gardens
Rivington
Rivington Terraced Gardens designed between 1906-22 predominantly by Thomas Mawson for Lord Leverhulme with additions by James Pulham & Son. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Stonyhurst College, Old Quadrangle
Aighton, Bailey and Chaigley
School buildings,1592 and later, by C.A.Buckler and others. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Corporation Park
Blackburn
A public park laid out by William Henderson and opened in 1857. Read the official list entry to find out more.
The Winter Gardens
Blackpool
A Winter Gardens seaside entertainment complex built 1875-8 to a design by Thomas Mitchell with later alterations and additions by Mangnall & Littlewood and J M Boekbinder in 1894, Wylson &...
Ashton Memorial Gardens and Williamson Park
Lancaster
Ashton Memorial Gardens and Williamson Park, developed in the 1870s by James Williamson Snr, features the Ashton Memorial and offers panoramic views over Lancaster.
Round Loaf bowl barrow on Anglezarke Moor
Anglezarke
The Round Loaf bowl barrow on Anglezarke Moor is a well-preserved funerary monument from the Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age, retaining significant archaeological deposits.
Queen's Park, Blackburn
Blackburn
Queen's Park opened in 1887 after development on land near Blackburn by engineers J B McCallum and A Fidler, featuring sports facilities and a lake.
Cabin Lift
Blackpool
A seaside lift tower of 1930 known as the Cabin Lift, associated toilets and upper promenade wall built to a design by the borough architect John Charles Robinson.
Abbey Mill
Withnell
An integrated cotton spinning and weaving mill established by 1840, with C19 and C20 alterations. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Sunnyhurst Woods
Darwen
Sunnyhurst Woods, initially planted in the early 19th century, became a public park in 1903, bought by Darwen Corporation from Eccles Shorrock's family.
Scarisbrick Hall at 392 127
Scarisbrick
Scarisbrick Hall, now a school, is a Gothic-style country house with origins in the 16th century, extensively remodeled in the 19th century by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin.
Worden Hall
Euxton
Worden Hall features early 19th-century parks and gardens, tied to historic families, evolving from Knights of St John holdings to a public park by 1951.
King's Mill
Briercliffe
A purpose-built cotton weaving factory of 1912 with a layout, construction techniques and power transmission system that are highly evolved. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Lancashire through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Lancashire changes over time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Lancashire
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground.
Clifton
Clifton Hall, Clifton, 1938
Clifton
Clifton Hall, Clifton, 1938
Liverpool
Liverpool Cathedral and environs, Liverpool, 1924
Liverpool
The Anglican Cathedral Church of Christ and surrounding area, Liverpool, 1963
Liverpool
The site of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, 1934
Liverpool
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool, 1967
Middleforth Green
Penwortham Hall, Park Lane under construction and environs, Middleforth Green, 1936
Middleforth Green
Penwortham Hall, Park Lane under construction and environs, Middleforth Green, 1936
Lancaster
The Ashton Memorial, Williamson Park, Lancaster, 1920
Lancaster
The Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park, Lancaster, 1949
Lancashire in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Lancashire's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
Preston, Lancashire
Date created: 1892 - 1933
The entrance doorway to Dun Cow Rib Farmhouse
Eileen ‘Dusty’ Deste Collection
Rossendale, Lancashire
Date created: 1966 - 1974
A group of children walking past the side elevations of back-to-back houses at 465-467 Market Street
Eric de Mare
Blackpool
Date created: 1960 - 1969
Interior view of the Winter Gardens in Blackpool showing the main staircase in the background and tables and chairs in the foreground.
John Gay Collection: Modern Architects
Ingol, Preston, Preston, Lancashire
Date created: 1978
The newly constructed Employment Rehabilitation Centre in Ingol, Preston
John Gay Collection: Rural Life
Blackpool
Date created: Jul 1953
A prize winning bull at the Royal Show
John Gay Collection: Miscellaneous
South Shore, Blackpool, Blackpool
Date created: 1946 - 1955
Interior view looking along curved wall towards classical pavilion
John Gay Collection: Counties
South Shore, Blackpool, Blackpool
Date created: 1946 - 1955
An elevated view looking down onto holiday makers wandering around Blackpool Pleasure Beach
John Laing Collection
Preston, Lancashire
Date created: 23 Oct 1969
A group of suited men, including Lord Stokes (second from left), gathered outside Preston Bus Station on the day of the opening ceremony
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Blackpool
Date created: 21 Aug 1895
Crowds enjoying the summer sunshine on the Promenade, as seen from the end of Wellington Road, with Blackpool tower in the background
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
South Shore, Blackpool, Blackpool
Date created: 01 Jan 1930 - 19 Aug 1935
GENERAL VIEW IN GARDENS AT NEW SOUTH PROMENADE
Walter Scott
Wycoller, Pendle, Lancashire
Date created: 1933
An exterior view of the remains of Wycollar Hall and the clapper bridge
John Gay Collection: Counties
South Shore, Blackpool, Blackpool
Date created: 1946 - 1955
An elevated view looking down onto holiday makers wandering around Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Lancashire.
A History of Bradford in 10 Places
Mentions St George's Hall
Discover the history of Bradford's buildings including Cartwright Hall, Lister Mills, UNESCO site Saltaire, Bradford Cathedral and Brontë Parsonage...
Groundbreaking English Women of Science
Mentions Victoria University of Manchester Including Christie Library, Whitworth Hall
Discover the lives of women who impacted scientific discoveries in England's history, such as Marie Stopes and codebreaker Joan Clarke.
The Landladies of Morecambe
Mentions The Winter Gardens, Midland Hotel
Famed for their no-nonsense reputation, gruff manner and strict rules and regulations, Morecambe’s landladies have seen it all.
The Timeless Charm of English Market Towns and Halls
Mentions Smithfield Market Hall
Discover the history of English market towns and halls, including farmers' markets, Christmas markets, market squares and corn exchanges.
The History of Brick Building in England
Mentions 45-51, Seel Street, Decker Mill Old Mill
Discover 7 examples of how brick building in England has changed over the centuries.
7 Serene Cemeteries to Visit in England
Mentions St James's Gardens (Formerly St James's Cemetery)
These graveyards can offer space for quiet reflection or a peaceful walk.
Narrative Structures: England’s Literary History in 11 Places
Mentions Chethams Hospital and Attached Wall
Discover the historic sites in England where famous writers found their inspiration.
Ghost Signs: Spooky Remains of a Hidden Past
Mentions Beehive Mill
Once you’re on the look out for ghost signs, you’ll find they are frequently hidden in plain sight.
Celebrating Liverpool’s Musical Heritage: The Beatles and Beyond
Mentions The Casbah Club
Explore some of the venues that have helped to make Liverpool famous for its music over the decades.
The History of Ukrainians in England
Mentions Roman Catholic Church of St Chad and attached Presbytery, and Boundary Walls
Ukrainians have influenced several sites across England. Here is a small selection.
10 Accessible Historic Places to Visit
Mentions William Brown Library and Museum, Merseyside Maritime Museum and the International Slavery Museum
Here we look at some listed places that have creatively improved their accessibility.
A Brief History of Reinforced Concrete Buildings
Mentions Royal Liver Building, Iron Railings and Stone Piers Surrounding Royal Liver Building, Preston Central Bus Station and Car Park
Reinforcing concrete made highly complex large-scale structures possible.
Mentions Lancashire
Until the 1980s, Morecambe in Lancashire was a favourite holiday destination for working-class families from Northern England and Scotland.
Inside Morecambe’s B&Bs: 3 Generations of Landladies Speak
Until the 1980s, Morecambe in Lancashire was a favourite holiday destination for working-class families from Northern England and Scotland.
Mentions Lancashire
Browsholme Hall is a Grade I listed Tudor house in the Forest of Bowland. It's claimed to be the oldest surviving family home in Lancashire.
Protecting Browsholme Hall
Browsholme Hall is a Grade I listed Tudor house in the Forest of Bowland. It's claimed to be the oldest surviving family home in Lancashire.
Mentions Lancashire
Browsholme Hall is the oldest surviving family home in Lancashire. Its archive tells the story of a community over 500 years.
Creating an Archive at Browsolme Hall
Browsholme Hall is the oldest surviving family home in Lancashire. Its archive tells the story of a community over 500 years.
From Pixels to Pasts: Uncovering the Value of Shipwrecks Through Social Media
Mentions Lancashire
A new study examines how social media platforms can illuminate the social values of shipwreck heritage.
Introduction to Issue 26
Mentions Lancashire
This issue explores aspects of industrial heritage, Palaeolithic landscapes, and the relationship between intertidal heritage and biodiversity.
Kirkham: Forging a Heritage Programme as a Bridge to Wellbeing
Mentions Lancashire
Supporting wellbeing and cohesion in a Lancashire community through a social prescribing programme based on interacting with heritage.
The Empire Theatre, Burnley
Mentions Burnley Mechanics, The Empire Theatre (former Empire Music Hall, Theatre of Varieties and Cinema), Lancashire
Unearthing a hidden gem: research into the Burnley Empire aims to raise awareness and inform potential reuse of the building.
A Wellbeing and Heritage Strategy for Historic England
Mentions Lancashire
Historic England is developing a strategy to ensure that everyone can experience the wellbeing benefits of heritage.
New Funding to Celebrate Rural and Coastal Working-Class Heritage
Mentions Lancashire
Historic England is funding new projects to explore untold stories and celebrate the people and places at the heart of our history.
Investigating the Built Environment in Lancashire’s Historic Textile Areas
Mentions Lancashire
Exploring the local infrastructure that underpinned the industrial revolution.
Southend-on-Sea Civic Fountain Listed
Mentions Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King
The Civic Fountain in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, has been listed at Grade II by DCMS on the advice of Historic England.
Heritage and Social Prescribing
Mentions Lancashire
How heritage can play a role in promoting wellbeing through social prescribing.
Historic England Supports University of Sussex Plans for Listed Library
Mentions John Rylands Library and Attached Railings, Gates and Lamp Standards`
Historic England supports plans to improve access to the University of Sussex’s Grade II* listed Library, designed by architect Sir Basil Spence.
New Funding to Uncover and Celebrate Working Class Heritage
Mentions Lancashire
Historic England's Everyday Heritage Grant programme is funding 56 new projects across the nation, telling the stories of working class heritage.
Using Drones For Field Survey
Mentions Lancashire
Small unmanned aircraft, often known as drones, can now be used to create digital field surveys. Assessment of the results suggests a technique with c
Lancashire's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area.
Workers housing, Slater Terrace, Sandygate, Burnley, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This terrace of 11 workers cottages is built over a warehouse. They were built in c1848-50 for George Slater, proprietor of Clock Tower Mill.
Workers housing, Slater Terrace, Sandygate, Burnley, Lancashire
Woolworths, Marine Road Central, Morecambe, Lancashire
Period: 1920s (1920 - 1929)
Certain types of building are highly characteristic.
Woolworths, Marine Road Central, Morecambe, Lancashire
Winter Gardens, Marine Road Central, Morecambe, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
The Winter Gardens began in 1878 as the People's Palace and included baths, entertainment and an aquarium. The building later became a ballroom.
Winter Gardens, Marine Road Central, Morecambe, Lancashire
Winter Gardens, Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
The main entrance to the Winter Gardens advertises the current attractions.
Winter Gardens, Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire
Winter Gardens, Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
This Edwardian image of the Winter Gardens in Blackpool shows the interiors of the space. It was taken between 1900 and 1904.
Winter Gardens, Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire
Winter Gardens, Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire
Period: 1930s (1930 - 1938)
The interior of the Andalucian-style Spanish Hall, created within the Winter Gardens in the 1930s.
Winter Gardens, Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire
Winter Gardens, Blackpool, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
A view over the rooftops looking down on the Winter Gardens and the Big Wheel.
Winter Gardens, Blackpool, Lancashire
Windmill, East Beach, Lytham St Anne's, Lancashire
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
This windmill is a tower mill. It was built in c1805 and was in use until it was severely damaged by a fire in 1918. It was then restored in 1987.
Windmill, East Beach, Lytham St Anne's, Lancashire
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find historic places in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary.
St Francis, Gorton Lane
Constructed by E. W. Pugin between 1864 and 1872 for the Order of St. Francis, St.
Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road
Victoria Baths on Hathersage Road, a Grade II* listed complex, features three entrance halls, former swimming pools, a Turkish Baths suite, exhibition...
Former Church of All Souls, Astley Street
A Grade II church*, built in Gothic Revival style and designed by Paley and Austin.
St James Church, Upper Parliament Street
Grade II* listed church built in 1775 of red brick and sandstone.
Scarisbrick Hall, Southport Road
A large Grade I listed Gothic-style mansion built between 1830 and 1860 and designed by A.W.N. Pugin.
Discover more
Ready for more local heritage? Take a look at these other places nearby
Preston
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South Ribble
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Wyre
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